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Public meeting to discuss future of Melchiorre Park scheduled for Nov. 29th

On Thursday, November 29th, the Borough is holding a 'brainstorming session' in which plans for Melchiorre Park will be discussed with its park planning consultants. The event will be held at the High School and will begin 7pm.

For those of you who do not know about Melchiorre Park (of which I am included, even though I apparently live across the street from it), it is a 23 acre park located south of High Street on the land between it and French Creek. It appears, based on the drawing on the Borough home page, to be the land that is next to Westridge Village and across the street from the new Northridge Village community.

As part of the meeting, the consultants will 'provide a brief background of the project and present a pre-final master plan for the park'.


Source: Phoenixville Borough Website

Comments

Anonymous said…
Very cool. This is the first I've heard of it too. I love the idea of having another park in town.
Anonymous said…
I wonder if they still planning on creating the path in that general area that will lead into town. I guess that may be addressed at the meeting.
JW said…
I am planning to attend the meeting and will report back on the plans once its over.
Anonymous said…
Where will they get the money to build this park?

I think the Library should relocate to this proposed facility.
Anonymous said…
the library should stay where it is right in the heart of town, you have to think in the long run..100 years down the road. Moving it will just have everyone driving. Town should be about walking. Another park would be great.
Anonymous said…
Anonymous 8:37, the library has outgrown the building. That's why they want to block off 2nd Avenue. A new campus with shared parking is the way to go. Turn the existing library into something else. Besides, 200 thousand visits a year come primarily from people who DO drive to the library and can't find a parking space.

Move the library to a new building.
RMorin said…
I agree that Phoenixville should focus on the downtown area and encourage people to walk. Expanding the library in its' current location and closing down 2nd Ave. if necessary is a step in the right direction. Moving the library to a new location outside of the downtown would be a huge mistake.
Anonymous said…
Glad I found this site. Especially the bit about the library.
I'm surprised no one has been killed at the library because of the lack of parking and the way people back in and out of that alley. How can anyone think of expanding it when there is no parking now?
Ridiculous to even think about closing that street! If they need more room then build a new building, and in that 23 acre site is a good idea because it will drive traffic to the downtown area where they want it. Go to the library and then go to dinner or shopping.
That entire mess doesn't belong in a residential area anyway.
Build a new library!
RMorin said…
The expansion would include parking, DUH!
Anonymous said…
You can always drive to Exton or Tredyffrin if you want a library with a parking lot. Part of Phoenixville Library's charm is it's convenient location in the center of town, adjacent to Reeves Park. An expansion at the current location would keep all of that charm and add parking and more accessibility.

Melchiorre Park should leverage the location adjacent to French Creek and focus on recreation.
RMorin said…
The last thing Phoenixville should do is build in an area that is being designated as a new park. It should remain a 'greenspace' and focus on recreation as the above comment stated.
Anonymous said…
To the poster who spoke of the "charm" of the current library...come see the "charm" any given evening when children are running across the street and headlights are coming the other way while someone else is pulling into the one way north alley and backing out onto Second Avenue.

Come see the "charm" when elderly people with canes or walkers are trying to get out of double parked cars with traffic coming the other way.

Come see the "charm" when the entire neighborhood is gridlocked because of programs into the night.

Building what amounts to another entire library ON THE STREET is not the answer. There are too many alternatives which have not been examined to the public's satisfaction.

Build a new library. The old one is no longer an asset where it is, it has become a problem, and not at all the perception we want for such a lofty institution.
Anonymous said…
well then close off second avenue or move to another street.
Anonymous said…
I see the "charm" every night. I, too, live in the neighborhood. The answer to reducing the gridlock on Second Ave - and this stands true for the entire length of Second, from the library past Barkley, isn't to move the library. The borough should make Second a one-way street the same way they've handled Washington and First.

Moving the library would simply leave a hole in the downtown and won't solve anything. With proper traffic and space planning, the library can continue to thrive in downtown Phoenixville.
Anonymous said…
Nunaya can read.

The problem with the library is p*a*r*k*i*n*g.

Right now it's Second Avenue which is affected by the lack of parking. That problem will be redirected to the surrounding neighborhoods and even more of the avenues will have disgruntled residents when they find their spaces are taken by library patrons.

Just because this is a library, an facility which has outgrown it's current plot, it doesn't mean they can just decide to enlarge the building to twice it's current size and not address parking.

No one is against expansion. It's the lack of concern for the neighbors and the charm of the neighborhood.

The traffic flow will also be redirected to Washington Avenue and Third Avenue if Second is closed off. Just pushing the problem further out.

It's time to recognize the fact that the library attracts too many patrons, has outgrown it's building, has absolutely NO parking, and needs to be in the downtown area (which it isn't right now, it's in a residential area) while keeping in mind that even this concept plan will be outdated and outgrown in a few short years.

Move it.

The library needs a new home.
RMorin said…
Is it so hard to understand that the expansion will include a parking lot?
Anonymous said…
Not only will the expansion create more parking spaces for library patrons, but by cutting off Second Avenue, it will also alleviate some of the safety concerns for children and the elderly.
Anonymous said…
solofloyd, the concept plan does NOT address parking at all.

No parking garage, no parking lot, no parking other than street parking.

Period.

Once more.

The parking problem is not addressed in the plan.
Anonymous said…
"Not only will the expansion create more parking spaces for library patrons, but by cutting off Second Avenue, it will also alleviate some of the safety concerns for children and the elderly."

11/29/07 1:11 PM

Could you please explain your theory?

If there is no parking lot or parking garage and the only spaces available are those reluctantly given up by the residents on both sides of Main Street and Second Avenue how will this alleviate safety concerns?

The plan will gridlock the entire area around the library.
RMorin said…
anonymous,

i heard that parking was part of the library expansion. i guess i was mistaken. does anyone know if the plan is online somewhere? if so, please post a link.

thanks
Anonymous said…
If the library were to move they would lose funding associated with the fact that it is a historical Carnegie library.
Anonymous said…
Solofloyd, I looked, too.

I found nothing on the library website or anywhere else.

Maybe someone could call the library and ask them to put it on there.
Anonymous said…
The library won't lose a cent if it moves.

The school board members would not vote against funding a library.
Anonymous said…
That particular funding I spoke of has nothing to do with the school board, its federal funding not local. This fact comes from a librarian there whom I have spoken with. There are different sources of funding, it does not just come from one place.
Anonymous said…
I am familiar only with the 40+% which comes from our local tax dollars and is funneled through the school district via the school board.

My understanding is that is where the charter is addressed for funding the library with the Carnagie foundation.

Any federal supplement would not fall under the above mentioned charter/agreement and have no bearing on funds to a library no matter where or what building houses it.

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